3 ms·

I largely agree with you with regards to current systems (such as the Switch), but I think there's some nuance here to consider. Emulation is legal with specif

I largely agree with you with regards to current systems (such as the Switch), but I think there's some nuance here to consider. Emulation is legal with specific restrictions, but it's also the only way to play some games and systems that are no longer produced. If we're talking about Nintendo there's a slew of games that they made over the years that you cannot buy from them, they do not produce anymore, do not make available digitally, and would go after anyone who tried to sell them digitally. That goes for PC, Xbox, Playstation, Dreamcast, Sega, etc. - if a company has abandoned the software and hardware I (personally) don't think they have a valid legal or moral claim to stop that from happening. The second layer is that the groundwork for emulation in consoles tends to begin when that console is current gen - even though the success rate is miniscule, the foundations are laid that allow emulation at a later date. Without those foundations it might be more difficult to emulate abandonware at a later date.

oneeyedpigeon 3y ago
Nintendo also has an established history of resurrecting titles that seem long-dead (or "abandoned"), both as straight re-releases and re-masters, both as one-off sales and as licensed rentals. They even released new hardware to play SMB on pretty recently.
- zirgs 3y ago
  Thy mostly do that with their most popular first party titles. There are a lot of games that have never been released on other platforms. Some MGS series games have been released on one platform only and those platforms are no longer supported. If you want to play something like MGS: Twin Snakes legally you have to find a used copy somewhere (and hope that the discs haven't been damaged) and get the original console (and hope that the hardware isn't faulty) to either play the game on it or dump the game somehow. (Dumping might not be legal everywhere). Or you can just sail the high seas and play it on your PC. I doubt that anyone is going to port less known games to modern systems any time soon.

oneeyedpigeon 3y ago

Nintendo also has an established history of resurrecting titles that seem long-dead (or "abandoned"), both as straight re-releases and re-masters, both as one-off sales and as licensed rentals. They even released new hardware to play SMB on pretty recently.

zirgs 3y ago
Thy mostly do that with their most popular first party titles. There are a lot of games that have never been released on other platforms. Some MGS series games have been released on one platform only and those platforms are no longer supported. If you want to play something like MGS: Twin Snakes legally you have to find a used copy somewhere (and hope that the discs haven't been damaged) and get the original console (and hope that the hardware isn't faulty) to either play the game on it or dump the game somehow. (Dumping might not be legal everywhere). Or you can just sail the high seas and play it on your PC. I doubt that anyone is going to port less known games to modern systems any time soon.